Is electricity superior to $2000 of ingenuity? | #LowBuckWednesday

Colin
By Colin Wood
Mar 1, 2023 | $2000 Challenge, Tesla, Low-Buck Tech, Tire Rack, Tesla Model 3, Low-Buck Racing, #LowBuckWednesday

Photography Credit: Dave Green

In 2022, we opened up the Grassroots Motorsports $2000 Challenge Presented by Tire Rack to find out if more money really does equal more speed. With the prospective field widened, it also generated another question: Can an all-electric powertrain run faster than the internal combustion engine?

Michael Simmons attempted to find that out at our last $2000 Challenge, with his Tesla Model 3 Performance.

In the end, the Tesla finished 16th overall out of a field of more than 60 entries of under- and overbudget builds. It also placed second in the autocross' GTW (cars equipped with 200tw tires with a width less than or equal to 285mm) overbudget class.

What is the $2000 Challenge? It’s our annual low-buck automotive festival that celebrates autocross, drag racing and ingenuity, which returns to Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Florida, on a new weekend for 2023, May 27-28.

The real challenge is in the event's name, however, as entries are required to prepare their vehicles for less than $2000. Each of these sub-$2000 cars will compete in autocross and drag racing sessions followed by concours judging the next day.

Rather see if more money equals more speed? Over-budget builds are also allowed to enter. Need more time to get your build ready? Spectators are welcome, and there will also be a Hagerty Cars & Caffeine, swap meet, model car concours and even a post-event track day at the Florida International Rally & Motorsport Park.

Think your low-buck racer or overbudget car is up to the challenge? Enter your build here, and learn more about the $2000 Challenge at 2000challenge.com.

 

The Grassroots Motorsports $2000 Challenge is presented by Tire Rack, in association with CRC Industries and Miller Electric, with trophies from ACI Automotive & Performance.

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Comments
Mike_Simmons
Mike_Simmons
3/1/23 7:21 p.m.

Hey, great pic!

The tesla had the fastest dynamic time for the autocross and drag combined. Doesn't that make it the fastest car in this competition? 

Appleseed
Appleseed MegaDork
3/1/23 7:26 p.m.

Robbie (Forum Supporter)
Robbie (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
3/1/23 10:55 p.m.
Mike_Simmons said:

Hey, great pic!

The tesla had the fastest dynamic time for the autocross and drag combined. Doesn't that make it the fastest car in this competition? 

It would be hard to argue otherwise!

SV reX
SV reX MegaDork
3/2/23 8:11 a.m.

That's an odd article.  It appears to be an advertisement for the $2000 Challenge with mention of some kind of Tesla something or other. 
 

It asks whether electricity is superior to ingenuity, and whether an all-electric powertrain can run faster than the internal combustion engine, then fails to answer either question (while strongly implying that the answer is "No" to both).

But the car had the fastest dynamic time. 
 

The 16th place finish is because the rules don't allow it to participate in the Concours portion of the event. 

So what car was faster?

That's a strange way to present both the event and the car. 

Mike_Simmons
Mike_Simmons New Reader
3/2/23 9:31 a.m.

In reply to Appleseed :

Love that!

kb58
kb58 UltraDork
3/3/23 8:33 p.m.

In reply to SV reX :

Rant pointed at no one in particular:

I've concluded that 90%+ of online content is to get people to click on links to increase web hits and ad revenue. The click-baity word-smith'd title has sadly become the most important thing, with whatever content it leads to being sort of besides the point. Posts posed as questions is another click-bait thing creators find works. It's also convenient because you can imply things about someone without getting in legal trouble, such as "Is Midlana's builder a grumpy old bastard?" Regarding such articles, it makes me want to ask, "Are you asking because you don't know?"

Side note: From time to time I used to do a Google search on "Midlana", to see where it was popping up. Turns out that there is a (likely automated) site that grabs keywords off the Interwebz, knowing that Google will grab onto them. When the reader clicks on the link, they're routed to a page that - no kidding - has pages of random sentence fragments that are complete nonsense, and many ads. The sad state of things.

And the answer to the question above: yes he is! Because of my views, I will never become a successful content creator... and get off my lawn!

SV reX
SV reX MegaDork
3/5/23 8:24 p.m.

In reply to kb58 :

Couldn't care less about click-baity BS. 
 

My post was about the respect I have for the writing Staff of GRM. I thought that article fell short. 

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